A Bit of Fluff
by verdand1
Summary: Stucky fic...a pet for Steve and Bucky! One shot.


It's kinda lonely in here, don't you think?" Steve asked, as he turned off the stove. "We could use a little more fun in this place, huh?"

"Not…really…" I mumbled. I liked it just the way it was. Just Steve and me, in our little studio apartment, in a six-floor walkup in Tribeca. Quiet. Just the way I like it.

"Aw, come on, Buck." Steve slid a semi-burnt pancake onto my plate. "Didn't you have a dog growing up? What was his name? Remy…?"

"It was Rowdy, Steve. And I remember how much work he was, too. How much dog crap I had to clean up."

"Yeah! But he was great. I loved him. I think we should get a dog. A big one."

I swallowed some charred pancake. "Hmm. Oh I'm sure the neighbors would just be _thrilled_. Between you blasting Nat King Cole on the speakers and me flooding the washing machine downstairs, I think we could be up for Tenants of the Year."

Steve's eyes lit up. "Tenants of the Year? Is that a thing?" Steve likes to win things, in case you haven't noticed.

"_No, Steve._ It's not a thing." I sighed and picked up the paper.

"Hey pal, save me the funnies, will you?" He made a reach for the comics section. I snatched it up with my left arm and hid it behind my back.

Later that day, after the gym, we stopped at the grocery store to pick something up for dinner. I insisted on cooking that night. If I had to eat boiled potatoes and Salisbury steak _one_ more time this week, I would smack that guy with a skillet.

As we walked down the street, a lady with a Chihuahua passed by.

"Bucky, what about a small dog? They're not that much work! You don't even know they're there most of the time."

I leaned into him. "That's the problem. I'm afraid I'd step on it. No little dogs. No big dogs. No cats."

His elbow dug into my waist. "Yeah? Well, I bet I can change your mind."

"Really? I bet you can't."

"Humor me, then." He flashed that crooked smile that I love so much. "Let's order pizza tonight. Go to the animal shelter tomorrow."

"Bribing me with pizza, Rogers?" I cocked an eyebrow. "That's an advanced interrogation tactic right there."

The next day, Steve pulled me into the Humane Society building with that stupid grin on his face. _I do like to see him happy,_ I thought. _Maybe it'd be nice to have some kind of pet._

The tiny elderly lady at the front desk sprang from her seat. "Welcome! Are you here to adopt?"

Steve opened his mouth, and I stepped on his foot. "Um, we're just looking for right now…"

The woman winked at me. "Well, it can't hurt to look, right? I'm Ellie, by the way."

I felt myself blushing. She led us to the dogs' kennel.

Steve pointed at a Dalmatian. "Hey! This guy is pretty cool.

How about a fire truck dog?"

The spotted dog wagged his tail, but I just couldn't see a dog that size in our tiny apartment. I shook my head slightly.

Ellie indicated a smaller cage that held a golden retriever puppy. "How about a younger dog? You can train her yourself! Do you have experience with dogs?"

"Yeah!" Steve exclaimed. I glared at him.

"Not. This. One." I could see the adorable puppy leaving trails of poop and destroyed shoes throughout the apartment.

We looked through the dogs, then the cats. Steve decided he didn't like cats that day.

We walked to the end of the hall. By that point, Steve was ready to just go home. But Ellie persuaded us to go into the last room.

"Just take a look at the rabbits! You'll love them."

I opened the door and went in. The smell of hay wafted to my nose, and I heard rustling in the other half of the room.

I walked over to the enclosure and crouched down.

The rabbits continued their foraging and digging, aware of me, but not threatened. Their tiny paws scratched at the wood shaving on the floor, and their noses twitched as they snorted softly. _I could live with one of these. They seem quiet._

Steve came over and squinted at the rabbits. "Bunnies, Buck? You like them?"

I put my finger through the wire mesh and wiggled it. A brown rabbit with floppy ears gave me a sideways glance and continued to munch on a pile of hay. A black and white rabbit hopped over slowly to investigate. I wiggled my finger again and the bunny nuzzled her head under it. I was surprised how warm she felt.

I turned to Ellie. "Can I see this one?"

She tried to hide her surprise, but I saw her eyes widen slightly. "Sure. Just let her come to you." She opened the pen and motioned me to walk inside slowly.

The rabbits collectively rushed to the opposite end of the enclosure. I sat down cross-legged in the hay as it crunched and rustled underneath me. _They know to be afraid of me, too. _

Steve whispered, "Just give it a few minutes. They'll come around." Eventually, they did. The black and white rabbit seemed to forget I was there, drinking out of the upright water bottle on my right. She finished, then cocked her head at me, as if to say, _When did you get here?_

She sniffed my boots, then thrust her face into the space between my feet.

I slowly reached over and petted her back. I felt her muscles tense, and I thought she'd run away, but she froze for only a moment before rubbing her head against my boots.

I touched her ears; they twitched. _She's staying here_.

"Open your hands on your lap," Ellie suggested. "Oreo's been to a foster home, so she's well socialized."

_Well, that makes one of us._

I opened my hands. After a brief hesitation, Oreo hopped up into my arms and I let her rest in the crook of my right arm, thinking my metal arm might be too hard.

Oreo squirmed, trying to get comfortable. She finally laid her head down on my left arm. I felt her body go limp and her breathing slowed.

Steve grinned down at me. "Looks like you're the rabbit whisperer now."

Ellie smiled too and explained, "It can take a while for a rabbit to warm up to you, but she seems to have fallen in love with you, Bucky. When they flop over like that, it's a sign they're comfortable and safe. She must really like you."

I turned to Steve and nodded. "I'd be okay with having Oreo around, if you don't mind."

Steve shifted his weight and winked. "I think we can make room for this little lady in our family."

Ellie got us the paperwork, and an hour later, I sat with Oreo on the kitchen floor. _Let's be friends, Oreo. _

I tickled behind her ears, and she flopped onto her side, allowing me to stroke her smooth, spotted fur.

"See, aren't you glad it's not just the two of us now?" Steve grinned, stirring the chili he was burning.

_And I wish that moment lasted forever._


End file.
